Rohingya crisis: India urges world to help Bangladesh

India has urged the world to help Bangladesh cope with the “humanitarian burden”, mentioning that they are “deeply conscious” of the humanitarian and security implications caused by the presence of the huge number of Rohingyas refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

India has praised Bangladesh generosity and has recognised the economic burden this crisis places upon Bangladesh’s society and economy, according to the Annual Security Outlook 2019 released by ASEAN.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered the country after August 25, 2017, as Myanmar launched a brutal offensive targeting the mainly-Muslim ethnic minority.

Though Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, not a single person has so far been repatriated.

India has extended support through the provision of four large portions of aid and is making an effort to prioritise addressing significant socio-economic challenges in Rakhine State, to facilitate the return of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine State, according to the 206-page report.

India is a leading development partner of Bangladesh and it has extended concessional lines of credit totalling around US $ 8 billion, the report mentions.

The report released in Bangkok during the 26th ASEAN Regional Forum says India is working closely with the government of Bangladesh to achieve lasting progress in improving security, energy cooperation, trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties to provide developmental benefits to the entire region.

In the resolution on old and outstanding issues, the two countries signed a Land Boundary Agreement in 2015 resolving issues relating to enclaves of adversarial possession of territory, the report mentions.

India and Bangladesh are working together on all fields of cooperation, including military–to–military ties, capacity building, creation of shared energy infrastructure, improved transport links (land, sea, inland waterway and air), and easier movement of people, said the report.

Bordering the North Eastern States of India, the report says, the stability and prosperity of Myanmar are crucial for the regional security.

The report mentions that India and Myanmar enjoy good bilateral relations and cooperation in security matters between the two countries have substantially improved.

Efforts are on to improve connectivity and infrastructural gaps and promote the development of the region. India is cooperating with Myanmar in diverse fields, including in the development of institutions in Myanmar, the report says.